The state of Tennessee essentially shut down a Nashville car dealer Monday after determining the dealership posed an immediate danger to consumers.
Consumers complained that they never got the cars they paid for or their money back.
Luxury Imports of Nashville had been in business on Murfreesboro Road in South Nashville selling used cars until recently when the owner, Lee Nathan, ran out of money. Customers though said they bought cars here, but never got their title or registration papers.
One woman told the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission that she paid nearly $25,000 for a used Jaguar and never received it.
After getting enough complaints like this, the commission was so concerned it called an emergency hearing where members moved to immediately suspend the dealership's license.
At the hearing, Nathan told the commission he ran into money troubles and admitted he just got in over his head.
"There's no excuse for that," he explained. "Basically, like I said, the funds wasn't there at the timeframe and I was trying to work up some different banks and things of that nature to retrieve some funds to take care of those, those outstanding debts."
But Robyn Ryan, attorney for the Motor Vehicle Commission, responded, "If one cannot run a business in a way that does not harm the public, then it's the state's position they should not be in business."
The dealer told the commission that he recently stopped selling cars because of money troubles, but was trying to secure additional funding so he could reopen.
But the decision to suspend his license will keep Luxury Imports closed, at least until he has a formal hearing in October.
Attorneys for the state however then will likely again be pushing to keep the dealership closed, by asking that the license be revoked permanently.
